MMC for Human Settlements Cllr Mabaso warns Fleurhof hostel residents against scammers

The City of Johannesburg’s Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Human Settlements, Councillor Mlungisi Mabaso, has issued a strong warning about housing scams linked to the Fleurhof Mega Housing Development. Residents have reported being asked to pay money for housing allocations by individuals falsely claiming influence or power to allocate housing units.

Over the past seven days, MMC Mabaso’s office has been inundated with complaints, walk-ins and calls from people alleging that they paid money to be allocated housing in Fleurhof and have subsequently fallen victim.

“There is no allocation in Fleurhof except the one carried out by the Department of Human Settlements. No other person or organisation has the authority to allocate units at the Fleurhof Development following the demolition of the old hostel.

“Other allocations, including Community Residential Unit (CRU) allocations, are administered solely by Human Settlements and not by political leadership, community structures or any other individuals,” said MMC Mabaso.

Any person claiming to guarantee housing, offer access through connections, or demand payment is a scammer. Residents are urged not to pay anyone be it an official, employee or representative of the city and to report such incidents.

According to MMC Mabaso, any community member “who claims to have a list, influence, connections or authority that enables them to allocate housing at Fleurhof is a scammer and should be treated as such”. This includes any “individual or community leader who may have participated in engagements leading to the demolition of the hostel”.

Residents are urged to visit Human Settlements offices at 222 Smit Street in Braamfontein should they require verified information regarding Fleurhof and other housing developments in the Region.

MMC Mabaso stressed: “The City views the conduct of individuals who are misleading residents and exploiting vulnerable members of the community in an extremely serious light and we are ready to work with law enforcement agencies to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and to obtain information only through official City of Johannesburg channels and the Department of Human Settlements.

The Fleurhof Mega Housing Project is a mixed-income residential development located southwest of Johannesburg. Spanning multiple extensions, it is a public-private partnership between the City of Johannesburg and Calgro M3 aimed at creating an integrated, sustainable community. Originally planned for 6,000 units, the project has been expanded to yield over 16,800 housing units on completion.